Improving prevalence estimates of mental health and well-being indicators among sexual minority men: a propensity-weighting approach.

The prevalence and relative disparities of mental health outcomes and well-being indicators are often inconsistent across studies of sexual minority men (SMM) due to selection biases in community-based surveys (nonprobability sample), as well as misclassification biases in population-based surveys where some SMM often conceal their sexual orientation identities. The present study estimated the prevalence of mental health related outcomes (depressive symptoms, mental health service use, anxiety) and well-being indicators (loneliness and self-rated mental health) among SMM, broken down by sexual orientation using the adjusted logistic propensity score (ALP) weighting. We applied the ALP to correct for selection biases in the 2019 Sex Now data (a community-based survey of SMMs in Canada) by reweighting it to the 2015-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (a population survey from Statistics Canada).

Development and evaluation of a clinical simulation-based educational innovation on sexual orientation and gender identity in emergency medicine.

Introduction: Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)-diverse patients are marginalized and poorly cared for in the emergency department, yet well-designed educational interventions to meet this gap are lacking. We developed, implemented, and assessed a novel multi-modal SOGI curriculum on health and cultural humility for emergency medicine physician trainees.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, single-arm evaluation of our educational intervention.

Implementation opportunities and challenges to piloting a community-based drug-checking intervention for sexual and gender minority men in Vancouver, Canada: a qualitative study.

Background: In response to the overdose crisis, a collaborative group of two community-based organizations, a health authority and a research institute in Vancouver, Canada, implemented a pilot community-based drug checking (CBDC) intervention for sexual and gender minority (SGM) men. This study identified key factors that influenced the implementation of the CBDC intervention, including opportunities and challenges.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven pertinent parties involved in the CBDC, including policymakers, researchers and representatives from community-based organizations.

Reach of GetCheckedOnline among gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men and Two-Spirit people and correlates of use 5 years after program launch in British Columbia, Canada.

Objectives: Understanding who uses internet-based sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBI) services can inform programme implementation, particularly among those most impacted by STBBIs, including gender and sexual minority (GSM) men. GetCheckedOnline, an internet-based STBBI testing service in British Columbia, Canada, launched in 2014. Our objectives were to assess reach, identify factors associated with use of GetCheckedOnline 5 years into implementation and describe reasons for using and not using GetCheckedOnline among GSM men.

Estimation of the population size of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Canada, 2020.

Background: Gay or bisexual (GB) and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) globally and domestically in Canada. Reliable and recent population size estimates are necessary to allocate resources to meet prevention needs and for modelling the HIV epidemic. However, previous direct estimates did not account for GB men who would not reveal their sexual identity to a government survey, nor MSM not identifying as GB.

Using an intersectionality-based approach to evaluate mental health services use among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

Aims: To cope with homonegativity-generated stress, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) use more mental health services (MHS) compared with heterosexual men. Most previous research on MHS among GBM uses data from largely white HIV-negative samples. Using an intersectionality-based approach, we evaluated the concomitant impact of racialization and HIV stigma on MHS use among GBM, through the mediating role of perceived discrimination (PD).

Ethno-racial variations in mental health symptoms among sexually-active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Vancouver, Canada: a longitudinal analysis.

Background: Minority stress from racism and heterosexism may uniquely interact to impact the mental health of racialized sexual minorities. We examined variations in anxiety and depressive symptoms by reported by ethno-racial identity among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) in Vancouver, Canada.

Methods: We recruited gbMSM aged ≥ 16 years from February 2012 to February 2015 using respondent-driven sampling (RDS).

Examining the secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on syndemic production and PrEP use among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Vancouver, Canada.

Background: The secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may disproportionately affect gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM), particularly related to HIV prevention and treatment outcomes. We applied syndemic theory to examine PrEP disruptions during the during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vancouver, Canada.

Methods: Sexually-active GBM, aged 16 + years, were enrolled through respondent-driven sampling (RDS) from February 2017 to August 2019.

Older, self-identifying gay men's conceptualisations of psychological well-being (PWB): A Canadian perspective.

Many older gay men experience diminished psychological well-being (PWB) due to unique circumstances including discrimination, living with HIV, and aging through the HIV/AIDS crisis. However, there remains ambiguity as to how older gay men define and understand PWB. Our team interviewed and analyzed the accounts of 26 older (50+) self-identifying English-speaking men living in southwestern British Columbia, Canada.

Unpacking racism during COVID-19: narratives from racialized Canadian gay, bisexual, and queer men.

Objective: Epidemics impact individuals unevenly across race, gender, and sexuality. In addition to being more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, evidence suggests racialized gender and sexual minorities experienced disproportionate levels of discrimination and stigma during the COVID-19 epidemic. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT), we examined the experiences of gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQM) of colour facing discrimination during COVID-19.

Target users' acceptance of a pharmacist-led prescribing service for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a highly effective way to reduce virus transmission. There have been increasing calls to improve access to PrEP in Canada. One way to improve access is by having more prescribers available.

Community and Health Care Provider Preferences for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing Interventions for Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: e-Delphi Study.

Background: Canadian clinical guidelines recommend at least annual and up to quarterly bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing among sexually active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). However, testing rates are suboptimal. Innovative solutions are needed to close the gap because there is currently limited knowledge on how best to approach this issue.

'It's not as good as the face-to-face contact': A sociomaterialist analysis of the use of virtual care among Canadian gay, bisexual and queer men during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread adoption of virtual care-the use of communication technologies to receive health care at home. We explored the differential impacts of the rapid transition to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic on health-care access and delivery for gay, bisexual and queer men (GBQM), a population that disproportionately experiences sexual and mental health disparities in Canada. Adopting a sociomaterial theoretical perspective, we analysed 93 semi-structured interviews with GBQM (n = 93) in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, conducted between November 2020 and February 2021 (n = 42) and June-October 2021 (n = 51).

Examining differential success in recruitment using respondent driven sampling (RDS) in a multi-site study of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

Background: The Engage Study is a longitudinal biobehavioral cohort study of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Baseline data (2,449 participants) were collected from February 2017 - August 2019 using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Recruitment in Montreal required fewer seeds, had a much shorter recruitment period, and recruited the largest sample.

Comparison of the burden of self-reported bacterial sexually transmitted infections among men having sex with men across 68 countries on four continents.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are in general more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than the heterosexual men population. However, surveillance data on STI diagnoses lack comparability across countries due to differential identification of MSM, diagnostic standards and methods, and screening guidelines for asymptomatic infections.

Methods: We compared self-reported overall diagnostic rates for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia infections, and diagnostic rates for infections that were classified to be symptomatic in the previous 12 months from two online surveys.

Acceptability of an existing online sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection testing model among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Ontario, Canada.

Objectives: Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) due to stigma and other factors such as structural barriers, which delay STBBI testing in this population. Understanding acceptability of online testing is useful in expanding access in this population, thus we examined barriers to clinic-based testing, acceptability of a potential online testing model, and factors associated with acceptability among GBM living in Ontario.

Methods: Sex Now 2019 was a community-based, online, bilingual survey of GBM aged ≥15.

Examining the Influence of Pre-HAART Experiences on Older, Self-Identifying Gay Men's Contemporary Constructions of Quality of Life (QOL).

Some older gay men (50+) experience diminished quality of life (QOL) due to historical and ongoing discrimination in addition to living through a collective trauma-the pre-HAART era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic-characterized by the absence of treatment and rampant discrimination targeting gay men. A growing body of literature, however, illustrates that older gay men demonstrate remarkable resilience but little is known about how QOL is conceptualized and how these conceptualizations are potentially shaped by pre-HAART experiences. The current study drew on constructivist grounded theory methods to examine how QOL is conceptualized in light of the sociohistorical relevance of pre-HAART.